


A Voice In The Dark

by littlejennywren



Category: Frozen (2013), Kristanna - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Kristanna, Modern AU, Other, radio au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-07 14:30:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3176088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlejennywren/pseuds/littlejennywren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kristoff is the host of a little known late night / early morning radio show.  He doesn't know it but someone is listening and it's her only light in a very dark place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Bobby is coming up next with the breakfast show so I'll leave you with one last song. Have a great morning and I'll speak to you tomorrow." Kristoff pushed the fader up and pulled off his headphones, tossing them onto the desk. He made sure his mic was switched off and he was logged out of the computer before heading for the door, knocking on the large window that joined his studio to the next. He waved to the breakfast team who were setting up for their shift. He chuckled as they waved back, bleary eyed and sleepy. 

Out in the hall, by his locker, he shrugged on his coat and pulled his beanie low so that it nearly covered his eyes. He had around an hour spare before the article for some music magazine he couldn't remember the name of was due and he had to call at the local shop to buy his food for the week. 

"Kristoff!" He spun to face the source of the voice. Only one person could be as wide awake as him at this hour. "Can I have a quick word?"

Heather was marching towards him at her usual speedy clip. She always seemed to be in a rush, although Kristoff had no idea why. Managing a small time radio station couldn't be that demanding surely? 

As she drew level with him she continued to thunder past, flinging her arm around his waist and dragging him along. "My office. It'll only take a sec."

~~~~

Anna yawned and stretched, bunching the duvet around her in a heap and pulled out her earbuds. 

Closing down the radio app, she checked the time and groaned. 

_6.00am_. 

With a heavy sigh she pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing at her eyes sleepily and shivering as her bare legs met the chilly bedroom air. The forecast had been just below freezing for today and she had forgotten to set the timer on the heating again. 

"Oh _cold_!" She jumped up and trotted to the bathroom, pulling at the oversized tshirt she wore in an attempt to keep warm. "Cold cold _coooold_!"

Turning the hot tap of the shower up to full blast, she waited as the water heated up and pulled the tshirt up and over her head. She stepped out of her underwear and threw both into the wash basket. 

Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror she gasped. Her skin was pale - paler than normal - and dull. A small cluster of spots graced her chin and dark circles hung heavily under her eyes.  
She made a mental note to get an early night. In fact she made a mental note to actually get some sleep full stop. 

Her tally had stopped as the weeks turned into months but she was pretty sure she hadn't slept a full night since the accident. Or eaten properly for that matter. She was living on a diet of microwave meals and takeaway.

"When was the last time you had a salad, hmm?" she mused to her reflection. "Or, y'know, actual food?"

She smiled in spite herself and climbed into the shower to stand under the hot stream of water for a good ten minutes. She needed to warm up before she could even think about soap.

~~~~

"No. Just ... no. That's why I do the graveyard. No way." He gripped the arms of the chair and glared as Heather did her best attempt at puppy dog eyes. 

"Pleeeease?" she begged, clasping her hands together under her chin. "Pretty please?"

"No."

"I don't know why I'm bothering to ask actually. It's already happening. We'll bring it in starting first thing next week." Kristoff slumped back under her smug gaze. He knew resistance was pointless. She was the boss, but he had hoped he could maybe change her mind or at least stall things for a little longer. 

"Fine. Whatever. It'll be god awful but your choice." He held his hands up in defeat. "People won't want to phone in and talk to me. People don't listen to my show, they sleep."

"Kristoff ..." she sighed. 

"I know, I know. It's already decided. Can I go?" He hated being so irritated at her but the whole reason he took that shift in the first place was to avoid people. 

"Okay. Go. I got what I wanted." She smirked and patted his back as he retreated. 

~~~~

By the time Anna had dried her hair and picked out the warmest clothing she owned her stomach began to rumble. 

She searched the cupboards for something tasty but nothing jumped out at her. Besides, it was a little early for freeze dried mac and cheese. 

In a last ditch attempt she scoured the fridge but all she found were two yoghurts a month out of date, half an onion and a bottle of milk which contained no actual milk. 

Letting out a frustrated "uuuugh" she slammed the fridge door and gathered her things. If she was going out she was making it worth her while. 

Grabbing her phone and pressing speed dial two she locked the front door behind her and waited anxiously for her call to be answered. 

~~~~

Ducking in to the little 24 hour Spa, Kristoff grabbed a basket and shuffled his way down the cramped aisle picking out what he needed as he went. 

He let out a barely contained sigh as he found himself trapped behind a little old lady who insisted on picking everything up and studying it as if she were going to find a hidden message or the meaning of life. Why did people always get in his way? 

He mumbled a "s'cuse me" as he pushed past, wanting to be out of the shop and on his way home as quickly as possible. 

As he reached the veg aisle his way was blocked yet again. He considered dumping his nearly full basket and heading for the much larger supermarket a few streets away just so he could shop in peace, but he only needed a few more things and he was done.

He stretched over the head of the woman in his way, hoping she wouldn't suddenly move back into him, and swiped a bag of parsnips. He then reached around her to the carrots muttering a quiet "sorry". She seemed to be in a world of her own and jumped as his large arm moved past her face. 

"Oh sorry. Sorry." At least she had more manners than the old woman, who had merely tutted at him for shoving her out of the way. She gave him an apologetic, tight lipped smile and shuffled out of his way. 

~~~~

Anna checked her list for the last time although her handwriting was hard to read, even to herself. She had hastily scrawled it onto the back of a receipt as she walked to the shop. She was pretty sure she had everything that was needed to make some decent meals for the next few days. She was going to make an effort with her food, well ... sort of. 

Opting for the self service check out she dumped her basket down and began scanning things through, humming to herself absentmindedly. After a few minutes she noticed a large presence beside her. Whoever they were they weren't moving and it felt like they were watching her. Maybe she hadn't scanned something through properly and security were waiting to arrest her. Maybe she was blocking someone again without realising it - the shop was just too bloody small. 

She chanced a quick glance up and jumped, catching a pair of warm, caramel eyes. She was being watched. Or more specifically her basket full of food was being watched. She huffed when she realised it was the weird guy who had leaned over her earlier. She had been far too busy deciding what to cook before realising someone was towering over her and invading her personal space. He hadn't even said excuse me. 

He appeared to be enthralled by her food choices. And okay fine it _was_ mostly made up of tinned sauces and frozen ready meals but they were all low fat at least - there was no need to be judgemental. _And what had he bought that made him so special anyway?_ She looked. Loose vegetables and fruit, herbs, cheese and some sort of stewing meat. She snorted and continued to scan. 

_Stupid health nuts and their cooking. I'll bet he's not up to his eyeballs in debt or having to take time off work because of ... things. I don't have time to cook. I have to be at the hospital in half an hour._

She was dragged from her thoughts as the machine beeped for her to pay. Shoving her card into the reader she punched in her pin and tapped her foot as the payment went through. The man beside her was doing the same but casting little glances her way whenever he thought she wasn't looking. Weirdo. 

As soon as her card was back in her purse she gathered her bags and made a hasty exit. 

~~~~ 

_How can she eat all that crap and be so tiny? Where does it go? One, two, three, four... Seven! All microwave meals! Does she cook at all?_

The petit redhead eyed him and he busied himself checking the items in his basket hoping his staring hadn't been too obvious. She looked tired and thin and in need of a good meal and not one that took 3 minutes at 700w. Her thick winter coat hung loosely around her tiny frame and her face was partly obscured by a chunky wooly scarf in the most vibrant pink he'd ever seen. 

He felt bad for making her uncomfortable. He hadn't intended to stare but something about her intrigued him. Very few people were up and about at this hour but she didn't appear to be on her way to work. She looked sad too, as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. 

He turned to try and start up a conversation but she was already marching through the exit. 

~~~~

"There you are!" Anna grinned as the nurse stood and rushed around the reception desk, arms outstretched for a hug. 

"Hi Bulda." Since the accident she realised just how much she loved hugs. No one except Bulda hugged her now but boy, were they good. She wrapped her arms as far round the larger woman as she could and closed her eyes. If she imagined hard enough, it was Mama. "How're you?"

"Never mind that, lady! How are _you_?" She held Anna at arms length and cast a critical eye over her. "Are you eating - sleeping? You look clean at least. And what are you wearing?" Pulling at Anna's coat she tutted. 

"Yes, yes and it's _cold_." She freed herself from Bulda's grasp and held up her bags. "See, I just went food shopping."

"Baby, if it goes in a microwave it ain't real food." Anna flushed and bit down on her lower lip. "But I'll let you off. Just let me know next time you're coming and I'll bring you something nice from home. No! No arguments. Now come on... she's waiting for you." 

~~~~

After twenty minutes of editing, Kristoff gave the article up as a bad job. He'd already gone way over the deadline so before he could delete the thing entirely he attached it to an email and clicked send. 

"Sven? You hungry?" From the other room he heard his dog scramble up and bark. "I'll take that as a yes. Me too."

As he busied himself making food he thought of the girl from the shop. Ready meals aside, when had she last eaten? She couldn't be homeless - she was paying with a bank card. She was a mystery but he doubted he'd see her again anyway. Pushing her from his thoughts, he sat with Sven on the sofa and tucked in to a _healthy_ lunch of tuna salad with extra carrots. 

~~~~

Anna hesitated as they reached the door to the small ward. It took a gentle tug on her arm from Bluda and a deep breath to get her inside. 

The plastic covered armchair creaked awkwardly as she sat down. The noise sounded so at odds with the stillness of the room and she inwardly chided herself for being such a nuisance. 

Bulda took her bags and set them against the wall behind her. "It's okay dear. I'll be back in a while." She patted Anna's arm and left, closing the door softly behind her. Pulling her coat and scarf off she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Two months of living alone and this place was where she felt the most lonely.

She studied the prone form before her - the woman lay on her back, coarse hospital sheets tucked neatly around her, arms limp against the mattress.

Anna tentatively leaned forward to take the woman's hand which felt cool to the touch. _They have to keep her core temperature down_ , she reminded herself. _It's okay. It's okay. It's okay._

"Hi Elsa. It's me... A-Anna." Her voice wavered and she felt the tears hot against her cheeks. She tried to speak, to tell her beautiful sister just how much she loved her but the cuts and bruises that were still so harsh against Elsa's pale skin stopped her. "I wish it was me. It should be me."

She rested her head against the mattress not wanting her sister to see her cry. Not that it mattered. She doubted Elsa even knew she was there. 

Her eyes felt heavy and her head swam with thoughts of guilt. But Elsa was alive - the steady rise and fall of her chest a small comfort. _She's safe. She's okay_ , Anna thought. _She's alive_ she repeated as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kristoff is the host of a little known late night / early morning radio show. He doesn't know it but someone is listening and it's her only light in a very dark place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this has taken me so long to update. I'm the slowest writer ever. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy chapter 2 and I promise chapter 3 won't take so long.

"It'll be exactly the same as last time and, once we get the results, we'll know for sure." The old doctor peered at her over the rim of his spectacles. His face was all sharp lines and angles, harsh and maybe a little stern at times. His lips thin and dry and always turned down at the corners - he rarely smiled , but there was something about him that Anna liked. It was all in the eyes she decided, he had kind eyes.   
He always told her the truth, even when it was the hardest thing to hear and made sure she understood Elsa's condition and care. He didn't make her feel stupid or baby her and above all things she appreciated that. "Now I know this is exciting and we're making progress but I must warn you Anna, the results from Elsa's scan might not be what we're hoping for."

Anna took a deep breath, something which she'd done countless times over the last couple of months, and nodded for him to go on. 

"I know we've gone over this before," he paused as he searched for the right words, "but if the scans don't show any brain activity then I'm afraid there is nothing more we can do."

Anna bit down hard on her lip as she struggled to stay composed in front of the doctor. She swallowed hard a couple of times wanting desperately to say something but it was no use. She was too choked up and she knew if she spoke her voice would betray her. She held her breath and nodded. 

She understood. 

She might not get Elsa back. 

~~~~

Kristoff drummed his fingers against the desk as he watched his boss and his producer argue it out. 

The phone-in idea had mutated and grown legs. They wanted him to answer calls and texts, emails and even tweets. What the fuck even _were_ tweets? The furthest into social media Kristoff had ever ventured was a mostly blank Facebook page his ex had made him make and a Tumblr account he used for news and updates on bands he liked. He found it hard to be social face-to-face, let alone on random websites. 

The final straw had come when Heather failed to come up with any sort of script for the new interactive show and suggested he just "wing it". 

"Come on Heather. This is ridiculous. You know what he's like?" said Kai, the producer. 

Kristoff knew what he meant but it was still weird having them discuss him as if he wasn't there. 

" _Yes_! Yes, but he should be able to just go with it. He's been doing it long enough." Heathers nostrils were flared. "Honestly it's just a silly phone in. It's a bit of fun."

Kai shook his head and sighed. "We get that but it's not going to sound so good when he clams up. Or... _or_ doesn't know what to say to get people interested."

"Still here guys." His comment went completely ignored. 

"Oh right so he doesn't know how to hold a conversation?" Heather was pacing now. "He's _so completely_ socially impaired he can't just ask someone how their night is going?!"

"Okay, y'know what?" Kristoff said as he stood. "I'm done. Great meeting guys." He shuffled out of the office and muttered "Felt good, thanks."

"Kris, wait!" Kai yelled as he skittered up behind him. "What's going to happen tonight then?"

He sighed heavily. "I don't care. Look, I have to go or I'm going to be late for my shift."

"Well have a think about what you're going to say, okay? Try and come up with something! You never do any work at that place anyway - you may as well use your time to your advantage!! Kristoff are you listening to me?!" Kai yelled to his retreating form. Kristoff wafted his hand dismissively. 

~~~~

Anna stood and stretched - hours of sitting on the hard hospital chairs left her back sore and stiff - and was embarrassed at the weird groaning noise she made and the popping of her stiff joints but there was no one there to hear it. Except Elsa, if she was even aware of anything. 

She wanted to believe that Elsa could hear her, the medical staff were always telling her to try and talk to her sister in case she could hear something, but it just felt wrong. 

Occasionally Elsa would twitch a finger or toe and every time Anna would panic and call the nurses only to be told it was a reflex - nothing to get your hopes up over. If the twitches weren't being controlled by Elsa then what was the point in talking to her. She wasn't listening. 

The IV machine clicked and beeped behind her, making her jump. No matter how much time she spent by her sisters bedside she would never get over all the machines and wires. She hopped up on the bed taking care not to touch Elsa but so that she was close enough to hold her hand. She watched the steady rise and fall of her chest for a while. It was the one thing anchoring her to reality. If Elsa was breathing then she was alive and if she was alive then... then...

Elsa coughed - a weak, wet choking noise bubbled from her mouth and her chest convulsed. Anna sprung back and nearly fell off the bed, she wasn't sure if she'd imagined it. 

It happened again, louder - stronger. Anna leapt from the bed and leaned over to look at the large tube taped to Elsa's mouth, her hands instinctively going out to touch it.

 _Oh God! What do I do? I can't touch anything. What if I hurt her?_

She pulled her hands back and held one in the other in an attempt to stop herself from doing any damage to her sister or the machines she was hooked up to.

 _What do I do?_

Slamming her hand against the "Call" button she waited for the nurse, shifting from foot to foot glancing from her sister to the door. She so desperately wanted to comfort Elsa, to tell her not to be scared but the words caught in her throat.   
Instead she lifted Elsa's limp hand and cradled it in hers and with her other stroked her forehead and hair and hoped it felt soothing. 

The seconds felt like days as she waited. Elsa's choking stopped but Anna could hear wheezing and gasping. The pipe that once kept her breathing was now stopping it. 

Two nurses barged in and immediately set to work, once checking the ventilator, the other calling out to a doctor who was making her rounds not too far away. 

Rushing in, the doctor sprung into action.

Anna winced as the tape holding the breathing pipe in place was pulled off, leaving an angry red mark across Elsa's face. 

"Anna," one of the nurses - Gertrude? Gerda? Anna couldn't remember - turned to face her. "Could you wait in the hall for a moment? We need to check Elsa."

Anna nodded dumbly, unable to move.

"Anna! Please." The nurses voice was soft but firm. No arguing. She backed away slowly, her legs felt like jelly. 

She wasn't breathing and Anna felt like she couldn't either. A hysterical sort of dread wrapped around her lungs and squeezed so that her chest was tight and her head swam.

The nurse gripped her shoulders and guided her towards the door. "Come on now, Anna."

"No, please," she managed to choke out. "She can't breathe. She isn't... isn't-"

A sharp gasping noise cut Anna short. It sounded like someone pulling in a first breath after a long time underwater. At first she thought it was the doctor and looked to her wide eyed until she realised where it was coming from.

Another gasp and then another. 

"Elsa!" Before anyone could stop her Anna was beside her sister watching as Elsa took breath after breath. She was doing it. She was breathing on her own!

~~~~

Kristoff left it as late as possible to get to work that night in the hope that Kai wouldn't pester him about the phone-in. As it turned out Kai was nowhere to be found and, unbeknownst to him, was having one last showdown with Heather about the whole mess.

He spent the brief few minutes before the show logging into the system and setting up that nights playlist. 

Shoving his headphones on he looked into the adjoining studio to watch for his cue. Sophie was in the middle of a long ramble but nodded to him when he looked up and again when she signed off, giving him the thumbs up. The on-air light switched from her studio to his and the headphones crackled to life playing the last song of her show.

_Here goes nothing._

~~~~

A monstrous snort ripped through the silence of the tiny bedroom as Anna began to laugh. "Oh my _god_!"

Desperate not to wake her neighbours in the wee hours of the morning she struggled to stay quiet but it felt so good to laugh. She was surprised she still had the ability to after everything. 

Adjusting her headphones she snuggled down into her pillows to continue listening to the late night radio show she loved. 

The poor DJ was taking calls tonight and not only did he seem to have _all_ the craziest weirdos calling in, he was also at a loss of what to say. The last two hours had been terrible but completely addictive to listen to. 

So far her favourite was the guy who was convinced he'd seen a ghost -

_"It just touched me. Don't hang up. It says it's name is Fred."_

And the woman that flirted with him -

_"So what are you wearing?"_

_"....uh, what?"_

_"Do you want to know what I'm wearing? A teeny tiny nightie! I may as well be naked..."_

_"...ok, well thanks for calling!"_

A few other callers had asked for advice. Some about relationships (a subject he was surprisingly good at), others about friends or work. He always answered as honestly as he could which sometimes ended up with the caller yelling at him.

As the show neared its final half hour Anna made a rash decision to call in. 

_He doesn't know me. He'll tell the truth. I need to talk about Elsa with someone. I need help._

"Hey, you're through to Ice FM." His voice sounded different over the phone, not quite as deep but just as rich. It made her jump as she was pulled from her thoughts. "Hello?"

Anna squeaked and held the phone away from herself in a panic. _What am I thinking? I can't talk to him about this._ She smashed her finger against the "end call" button a couple of times until the call disappeared and the radio app popped back up to continue where it left off.

"...just not up for talking. If it helps, I'm really bad at this so you can't be any worse than me." The show played out over the phones loudspeaker. 

She had to laugh at that. The few callers he had spoken to must have terrified him. He seemed pretty nervous.

"We'll be back right after this." Another song began to play and Anna plugged the headphones back in so she could snuggle back down in bed. 

As she waited for her heartbeat to get back to normal she let her thoughts drift. She needed to talk to someone. The therapy sessions and grief counselling she'd endured were okay, although most of the time she felt like a complete fool because she couldn't get through one without crying. There was no one else to listen, except maybe Bulda and the other nurses at the hospital, but they were so busy and she didn't want to be a nuisance, not when they had shown her so much patience and kindness.   
The few friends she did have lived miles away and most likely had their own problems to deal with. No one wanted silly old Anna ringing up to talk about what a mess her life was. Only one or two had sent letters or cards in the weeks after the accident. None of them had come to her parents funeral. She had no one, except Elsa, and she needed to be strong for her. 

_Just do it. Call. You can always hang up again._

The phone rang three times before it was answered. She was screened quickly and asked to hold while they got ready to talk to her. Her heart started to pound again and she had to lie back on the bed to stop herself getting dizzy. She used to love talking to new people, why was she so nervous now?

"Hey, you're through to Ice FM." 

"...H-hello?" Her voice no more than a whisper. 

"Hey! Whose this?" He sounded friendly enough, in spite of the weird calls he'd muddled through earlier. It put her at ease. 

"I don't know if I want to say my name." She cringed at the though of how her voice must sound.

"That's okay." He paused for a moment and Anna imagined he might be angry. She was being awkward but she wasn't quite ready to get so personal. Sure she was talking about something very personal but perhaps without a name it kept a bit of distance to the situation. "What do you want to talk about?"

She closed her eyes and imagined she was talking to someone she knew. Technically she did know him, she'd been listening to the show for months. Even before _everything_ she used the radio as an escape. It was his voice that often kept her going.

"Well... actually... I'd like some advice. If you don't mind." She chewed on her lip absentmindedly and covered her eyes with her hand, her fingers massaging her temples. 

"Uh, sure. I mean I can _try_ and help you." 

_Okay. Here goes._

"Well my sister is... sick... and she's in hospital." She took a steadying breath. "She's in a coma and I'm supposed to talk to her in case she can hear me but... but I don't know what to say. I want to be positive but... y'know." She shrugged.

"I'm so sorry. That must be tough." He sounded so sincere Anna could cry. She had found the sincerity of strangers few and far between. Not that she talked to many people about this but still. 

"Yeah it has been," she found herself saying. What surprised her more was that she hadn't burst into tears yet. Normally she'd be in floods by the time she mentioned the word _coma_. 

"Have you tried reading to her?" He suggested. "That way you don't have to think of what to say plus it's keeps your mind off things... sort of."

Anna groaned. Of course, _reading_! Why hadn't she ever thought of reading?!

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. Now he's going to think you're an idiot._

"You could play music too. If she has songs or bands she likes she'll recognise the voices." 

"I can't believe I never though of any of this," she laughed nervously. 

"If your sisters ill I doubt you've thought of much else. I'm glad I could help."

"Thank you. I'm so glad I called. I've been listening to you for a while and you've really helped me." She chewed on her lip nervously. 

"Oh... Uh... No problem. You're... You're welcome." He sounded flustered.

She grinned in response then realised he couldn't see it. This was awkward but not as awkward as she'd expected. 

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" he said slowly, almost unsure of himself.

Anna pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the bed. A question? 

"Y-yeah... Sure." 

"If you need to talk again will you call me? The show I-I mean... I'd like to help. If that's okay?" His voice was soft, kind, and Anna felt a warmth wrap around her. Someone cared. 

"I will. Thank you."

"Great. Uh... good. I'll speak to you soon then."

"Yeah. Great." 

The call was disconnected from the studio and a prerecorded message played thanking her for her time. 

Flopping back onto the bed, her arms stretched lazily above her head, phone still clutched in one hand, she grinned and let out a sigh. Someone _cared_. 

~~~~

"Kristoff!" He rolled his eyes as Heather jogged towards him. "Before you rush off, look!"

She wafted a bunch of papers at his face until he grabbed them irritably. 

"What's this?" He sifted through pages and pages of screen grabs and figures. 

"Your figures are _up_. _Way_ up." She pointed excitedly at the numbers. "You were a hit!"

"No need to sound so shocked..." 

"And look," she snatched the papers from him and flicked through until she came across a page of Twitter screen grabs. "The girl with the sick sister is trending in our area. People are sending in ideas for her. Hashtag talktoyoursis! I'm glad you asked her to call back. She'll be a ratings boost."

"She's not a gimmick Heather! She needed help." Frowning he turned away from her and shrugged his coat on then added quietly, "I wanted to help her."

"Well either way you did good. A bit cringy at first but good!" For an awkward moment he actually thought she might pat him on the head. 

"Are we done because I'm going to be late!"

"Hey if this show keeps getting these sort of ratings you won't need that crappy second job. You might even get moved to a more normal time slot."

He grimaced before turning to give her an exasperated stare. He would never admit it to Heather but he was pleased she seemed to think the show went well.

"Okay! I'm done. Go!"

He could feel her watching him down the corridor and he knew she'd be shaking her head. 

~~~~

"Isn't that cool?" she said, gently taking the earbuds out of her sisters ears and closing down the podcast app. "We're radio famous!"

She watched her sisters face for a moment still unchanged from the last visit except, Anna noted, she was breathing on her own. One less machine to worry about. One less tube shoved into her. 

She decided that playing her sister the recording of the radio show was a good idea. That way Elsa could hear her sisters voice without Anna stumbling over her words. She was still going to do what the DJ suggested but playing the podcast of the show was a good place to start.

"I hope you don't mind? It's just... I don't have anyone to talk to and therapy isn't working. It helps and the guy has a nice voice... He helps, Elsa." She struggled to keep her voice steady even as she bit back a sob. 

Quickly wiping at her eyes she sat back in the plastic covered chair and grabbed one of the books from Elsa's bedside table flicking to the opening page. 

~~~~

 _It's only five hours. Suck it up,_ Kristoff thought wearily as he trudged through the double doors and towards the desk. 

"Baby!" Bulda sprung up from behind the nurses station and rushed over to the tall blond before her clad in caretaker scrubs. 

"Hi Ma!" He bent so she could kiss his cheek. "What stock do you need up here? I'm just on my way to the storeroom."

"How was the show?" She stood a good couple of feet shorter than him, her arms stretched up so she could rest her hands on his shoulders.

"Ugh. Fine. It was fine." 

"I'm sure it was fantastic," she sing-songed as she handed him a stock sheet.

Fastening it to his clipboard he scribbled some quick notes before saying goodbye to his mother. 

Today was going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kristoff is the host of a little known late night / early morning radio show. He doesn't know it but someone is listening and it's her only light in a very dark place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been forever. I've been struggling to get back into writing for a long time. Please excuse any spelling mistakes or weird grammatical things.

Elsa's first conscious thought was that her body felt heavy and useless, her chest seemingly weighed down by an invisible force, or more frighteningly maybe it wasn't an invisible force. Maybe she was lying under something that was crushing her, driving her breath out and making it almost impossible to drag back in. 

Trying to call out she discovered her voice was missing - through lack of use or lack of air in her lungs she wasn't sure.

Her shallow breathing grew ragged making the back of her throat burn, the pain in her body pulsing with each beat of her heart as it thundered against her rib cage.

Opening her eyes slowly, she blinked as bright white light flooded her vision. It took a moment as blobs and blurs took the shape of objects and finally the room came into focus. Not a room she had ever been in before but one she recognised. 

All hospital rooms looked the same.

_No. Please, no. What happened to me? Why am I here?!_

Her mind raced as she tried to recall her last memory. 

She had been waiting for her flight, checking emails to make sure her job details transferred properly. Everything was organised and her new job would be starting in a few days. 

She read a text from a very excitable Anna who had messaged to tell her she couldn't wait to see her big sister and that a tackle hug was waiting for her at home - that had brought a smile to her face - Anna's text were always dramatic.

She had called Papa to say she was about to board the flight and she'd see him soon...

Then nothing.

The fear of not knowing what led her to be lying in a stiff, cold hospital bed started to creep up her spine and take over her thoughts. 

The door handle to her right began to turn slowly and the door eased open to reveal a short, rotund woman dressed in nurses scrubs with an intent look on her face. 

The nurse rushed to the machines at the bedside, checking the screens and papers until finally looking down into wide, frightened eyes. 

"Elsa?" The woman's hand was gentle on her shoulder, reassuring as best she could be. "It's okay. You're safe." She pressed a button on a key fob hanging from her trouser pocket to alert a doctor. 

She tried to speak, to move, but nothing happened. The nurse must have sensed it though. 

"Shhh, it's alright. The doctor is on his way," she soothed, patting Elsa's hand reassuringly. "My my. Your eyes are as pretty as your sisters."

_My sister?! Where's Anna? I want Anna._

Gradually she was aware of a pressure on her hand. She squeezed back as much as she could and the nurse smiled. 

"That's it Elsa. Good. Keep squeezing my hand."

She felt so tired. Her chest felt tight and all of a sudden her body ached with a sharp, splintering pain. It was as if her limbs had finally caught up with her brain. 

"Oh baby I know it hurts." The nurse smoothed her hair back and then stepped away as the doctor appeared. 

"Well, well. We weren't expecting you awake just yet!" he mused, peering at her over his glasses. He pulled a small pen torch from his pocket and flashed it into her eyes, holding her lids open so she couldn't look away. He turned to the nurse and they began to discuss something in hushed tones. 

Their voices seemed to drift and become muffled as if they were talking on the other side of a wall rather than right in front of her. Elsa struggled to keep her focus on them, her eyes tired and heavy. 

Slowly, slowly she fell back into the darkness. 

~~~~

Anna got the call at 8.47am precisely, the harsh ring of the phone ripping her from sleep with a jolt. 

When she heard the doctors voice on the other end of the line it was as if all the blood drained from her body making her hands tingle. 

For a few breathless moments she was expecting to hear the words she feared the most - _Elsa has passed away. Sorry for your loss._

But the bad news never came. 

Elsa was awake - on and off, but awake and aware and very much _alive_.

Anna lost her composure completely sobbing down the phone to the kindly doctor. The relief that washed over her made her feel as if she could float away.

He informed her there would still be necessary scans and would she like to be there to support her sister, to offer her strength, and yes she was allowed to spend the day at the hospital and yes she should talk to her more, it definitely helps.

"Oh and Anna, it would be best if we didn't mention your parents passing. I'm afraid she's not quite strong enough to hear it yet. The grief might hinder her progress."

And just like that she was back to earth with a bump. Mama and Papa were gone and Elsa didn't know - couldn't know yet. She wasn't sure which was worse, Elsa not knowing or Elsa slipping away from her again brought on by grief and shock. Then there was the risk of Elsa finding out and being mad at her for keeping it a secret. No matter what, she couldn't bare the thought of losing her sister, not now she'd come so far.

She thanked the doctor and arranged a time to meet. She would be by her sisters side and hold her hand. She would keep a secret. 

~~~~

Kristoff sat in the depressing hospital café waiting patiently as his mother finished her sandwich.

"You want this?" she wafted it under his nose. 

"No thanks. Mine was bad enough."

"But it was nice having lunch with your poor old mother, right?" He rolled his eyes affectionately. 

She was right. Even though they worked in the same building they rarely spent much time together. Bulda caring for patients in the trauma unit and Kristoff going wherever he was needed. Sometimes their paths crossed, sometimes not. Luckily Bulda's lunch clashed with his home time so they wandered downstairs to spend a quiet hour together. 

"I should get going soon. Sven needs feeding and I've got that article for the stations website."

"You work too much," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. 

"So do you," he laughed, mimicking her concerned expression back at her. 

It did seem to him that his mother was at the hospital far more than she was ever at home. He'd certainly seen her more in the former. 

He couldn't remember his last visit home. 

"Hello dear," his mother called out with a wave. He was confused for a moment, thinking she had noticed him drifting off into his thoughts and was snarkily trying to drag him back, but her gaze fell just behind him towards the cashier. When he turned he just caught a flash of red hair and a coat he thought he recognised. 

"No one you know baby! Just my friend Anna," she said to his quizzical look. "Her sister is in our trauma unit. Has been for the last few months. Such a shame."

"That's sad," he murmured, brows creased. He had a weird sense of déjà-vu that prickled at his neck then disappeared before he could think why it happened. 

"Okay, I'm off," he placed a quick kiss to his mothers temple. "Bye Ma. Thanks for lunch."

She beamed at him and then yelled at his retreating form, "Bye baby. **I love you** ," and then laughed herself silly at how flustered he got trying to find his way out of the little cafe as quickly as possible. 

~~~~

Anna sat on her own in the waiting room, fidgeting. Anything to take her mind off what was happening to Elsa. 

She was having scans done by a weird machine that clanked and groaned- downright terrifying for anyone to have to endure. Then injections and blood taken, the doctors prodding and poking, then talking in hushed tones, the urgency in their voices evident. 

She hated all of it and she wasn't even the one having to do it. 

The bed they'd been keeping Elsa in had a special cooling mattress - the doctor mentioned something about core temperature and slowing down damage (Anna failed to take it all in) - that was now slowly being brought back to body temperature. If nothing else it soothed Anna that her sisters hands were back to normal and no longer cold to the touch. 

The cold made her think of death, made her think of her mother and father. Her mothers hand so cold...

_Stop it! Stop. She's fine. She'll be fine._

Hopefully by the time Elsa was back in the ward she'd be conscious and Anna could finally talk to her. Not about _that_ but to finally make sure she was okay. 

The wait was long. Anna lost track of time but was pretty sure three or four hours had passed. She was bored. She'd memorised the posters on the walls and the few leaflets scattered around. She'd played a very one sided game of I-spy. She'd napped. Then her neck hurt because she'd slumped in a weird position and dribbled a little on her top. 

Doctors and nurses walked by and each one made her heart skip until they passed her without acknowledgement. Eventually, after she'd fallen to sleep, there was a light tap on her arm. 

"Miss Arundal?"

The nurse was young and not someone she'd seen before. 

"Your sister is back on the ward. You're free to see her now." His voice was gentle, measured. 

"I am?" She sprung up. "How were the scans? Is she okay? What happened?"

"Let me take you through to the ward. We'll discuss the results there."

She followed him eagerly, shoving her hands into her pockets to stop them shaking. 

~~~~

"We'll be right back after these messages." Kristoff clicked the advert programme lazily and then pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He was exhausted. Forfeiting sleep in favour of the numerous articles which he'd been hired to write and the extra work he had to do for the stations new website. 

"Kris!" Kai whispered, handing him a large cup of coffee. 

"Thanks!" He took a large swig. "You know, my mic is off. You can talk normally!"

"I know but it's good practice. Just in case."

Kristoff rolled his eyes and took another large gulp of his drink. 

"Slow night so far." Kai leaned against the edge of the desk. 

"Yeah. I'm kinda hoping we get a crazy caller just to make things interesting."

"Oh my god! Has Heather hypnotised you or something? Who are you?" He made to check Kristoff's temperature but was swatted away. 

"We need the ratings okay? It keeps Heather off my case."

"Yeah, sure," Kai said with mock skepticism . 

As the prerecorded adverts came to an end Kristoff set up the next few tracks to play and watched as the timer counted him down. Right on cue the track kicked in and he sat back and grinned at Kai. 

"Okay, so it's a little boring just pressing buttons for a living. I kind of like the interaction."

"She's totally swapped you. You're not Kristoff."

~~~~

The phone rang twice before it was answered. She spoke briefly with a vaguely familiar voice and was put on hold. She tapped nervously on her leg as she sat on her bed. 

"Hey, you're through to Ice FM."

"Hi. I don't know if you remember me but I spoke to you a while ago. My sister is sick and you gave me advice."

"Yeah I remember! Hello again."

"I hope you don't mind me calling in again?"

"Not at all. How've you been?"

"I'm... good." And she realised she actually was. Mostly. It was easier to say that than try to put into words the swirl of emotions she was feeling anyway. 

"And your sister?"

"She's _awake_! She's responding to things! It's why I called. I wanted to tell you." 

How embarrassing. The only person she could think of to call was a faceless radio DJ who was a complete stranger. 

"That's _great_! Fantastic news! You must be feeling pretty relieved?"

"I am. I feel like I can breathe." The smile that spread across her face hurt her cheeks. 

"Okay, so fill me in. What's happened since we last talked?"

So she told him. Everything. From the car accident to Elsa's scans and her finally waking up. She hadn't intended to tell him so much but she couldn't stop. It felt so good to finally open up even if it was some random person who probably didn't actually care about her. 

In the half hour she was on the phone she had spoken more than in any of her therapy sessions. The DJs feedback had been a hell of a lot better too. 

By the time she dialled off she was on a complete high. She couldn't wait to see her sister again. She couldn't wait to hug her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kristoff is the host of a little known late night / early morning radio show. He doesn't know it but someone is listening and it's her only light in a very dark place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Shuffles in awkwardly*
> 
> Hi. It's been a while... Sorry about that. 
> 
> Please excuse my rusty grammar etc. I haven't written anything in a looooong arse time. 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter. See you soon.
> 
> ____

Kristoff sighed deeply, picked up a basket and squeezed himself down the first narrow aisle. 

He reminded himself for the millionth time that this shop was convenient - hence the term convenience store - and the other shop was a massive faff to get to _and_ he never knew where anything was. He was here now, squashed between a woman and her screaming child and the cheeses, he may as well do his shop as quickly as possible and go.  
It's just that he was so bulky he always managed to catch his elbow against something breakable. There was rarely a time he left without an extra bruised apple or dented can he'd managed to clip from the shelf and ended up having to buy.  
The weather was still bitter and he was wrapped in a thick coat that only added to his size. 

He shuffled his way down the aisles dropping things into his basket as he went until he reached the front of the store. The automatic double doors pulled back to reveal a familiar face who scurried in quickly followed by a bitterly cold gust of wind. 

She wore the same too big coat and vivid pink scarf, her hair hung limply in messy pigtails but this time she didn't look so tired. Her cheeks had a rosy glow to them which could be more from the cold than anything else except her face wasn't worried by a frown. Her eyes, that seemed so dull and lifeless the last time he saw her, sparkled now. 

She picked up a basket and disappeared behind a huge stack of tinned beans. 

He resisted the urge to follow her. That would be creepy. He sighed irritably and continued looking for the rest of his shopping list. 

He passed a young woman considering a packet of biscuits. She was pretty too. Her full lips painted a deep berry and ash blonde hair cascading in waves around her shoulders. She smelled of sandalwood and jasmine. She was beautiful but he just didn't feel that same pull towards her. He didn't want to get to know her. For some reason he wanted to know the redhead girl with the ugly scarf. Find out why she only ate ready meals and wore a coat that didn't fit. 

~~~~

He swung his old truck into a narrow space at the back of the staff car park. As soon as the engine was cut he could feel the icy tendrils of the air wrap around him. With his radio shift done he really didn't feel like the 5 hour shift that awaited him now but he needed to be out of the cold. Reluctantly he made his way towards the looming silhouette of the hospital. 

He signed himself in and dumped his things in a locker. Looping his ID card around his neck he joined the others for the morning briefing. 

His section today would be the trauma unit where he would be expected to restock whatever was needed, clean up any messes and endure his mother in all her bubbly, _huggy_ glory. 

~~~~

The radio played quietly in the background as Anna chatted at her sister. Elsa awake enough to blink and attempt weak smiles that made Anna fill with sunshine. The subject of their parents hadn't reared it's ugly head yet and for now Anna was happy to pretend like everything was okay. 

"Do you like the colour?" Anna twirled a bottle of nail polish in front of Elsa's face.

Elsa said nothing. Anna was pretty sure she was barely conscious - drugged up to her eyeballs - but she thought she'd check none the less. Sparkly blue wasn't ever a colour she had seen her sister wear on her nails.

"It's totally your colour. I promise it'll suit you and we can always take it off if you really don't like it. Also you have no choice. You can yell at me when you wake up properly." Pulling the brush from the bottle and giving it a gentle wipe on the rim she tenderly took Elsa's now warm hand in hers and began to paint.  
She thought it might do her sister good to add a bit of colour to her life. The plain, white room with it's grey curtains and blankets and floor couldn't be doing anything for Elsa's mood.

After two coats and an extra layer of silver sparkles Anna was pleased with the finished result. She flopped back in her plastic chair and sighed. The nails and idle chatter had taken up well over an hour but she wasn't ready to head home just yet. She kept hoping Elsa would wake up enough for a full blown conversation but she knew that was wishful thinking, it would be a while yet before Elsa was back in the land of the living.

Turning the radio up slightly to fill the silence Anna allowed herself to snooze just a little. Every now and then her eyes would flicker open to check on her sister. Still there. Still breathing. Still alive. She stayed that way for another hour or maybe two, the hum of the hospital layering with the songs on the radio to lull her in and out of sleep.  
Eventually she was roused by her leg falling into a sleep almost as deep as her own. She should stretch and walk. She had been sitting in a stiff hospital chair for longer than was healthy. 

Groaning, she stretched and tapped her numb foot against the floor until the pins and needles started.

"Ow...oh god..," she she whispered, loudly, desperately trying to stay quiet for Elsa but nearly foiled by the agony. The only comfortable position she could adopt until it faded was to awkwardly lean over her sisters face. "Boy, I hope you don't wake up _now_ ," she mused, inches from Elsa's face. Her sisters eyes flickered a couple of times, then she looked right at Anna for a moment before drifting back off again. "Oh come on!" Anna whispered. She pushed herself to standing and shuffled away from the bed feeling silly.

After a few more minutes of hopping about and squeaking the sensation had passed and Anna decided a quick turn about the ward was just what she needed.

"Elsa? I'll be right back, okay?" There was no reply. "See you in a bit." 

~~~~

By 12pm Kristoff was at the end of his shift and hanging by a thread to his sanity. 

Within ten minutes of arriving that morning he'd been vomited on and it'd only gone downhill from there. He had cleaned things and seen things that should only belong in horror films. At one point he held a bag that contained a human hand... a still warm human hand.

Usually he would wait until he got home to shower but today he made an exception. He dressed quickly and left even quicker. 

Heading down a labyrinth of hallways to find his mother he instead found the girl from the shop. He felt glued to the spot as he watched her leaning against the nurses station. It was weird to see her out of the shop and not wearing a coat. It was almost like she was superimposed and if he wafted his hand she'd dissapear in a cloud of smoke. He blinked a few times to make sure he hadn't properly lost it and was imagining things. 

At that moment his mother appeared from the office and handed some chocolate to her. They leaned over the desk for a hug and then the girl spun to face him. She was beaming. Her eyes sparkled and danced as she laughed at something his mother said. She was radiant. He never expected in a million years to see this girl again, let alone smiling. He never expected to find her so beautiful but he did. 

She waved goodbye to his mother and as she stepped towards him did a sort of double take. Wondering if she recognised him he gave her a half smile and she returned it, glancing nervously at the floor, before tucking a stray hair behind her ear and muttering a soft _hi_. She was gone before he could return it.

Still wondering what the hell was going on he looked back to his mother, who was giving him a funny look.

"What?" He snapped irritably.

"Her name is Anna." Bulda positioned herself on a swivel chair behind the desk and patted the free one.

"Okay, and I'm not staying. I just came to say I'd see you later." He adjusted his bag and tried to look like he had somewhere to be.

"That's fine," she chuckled. "I just thought you might want to spend a bit of time with your ol' Ma before you go." She patted the seat beside her again.

He sighed, dropping his bag from his shoulder to his hand and finally to the floor behind the desk. He sat heavily in the chair and smiled in spite of himself. "Five minutes." 

Bulda patted his hand affectionately. "Her name is Anna," she repeated.

"Okay, Ma," he half huffed and half laughed. 

"She visits her sister everyday so she's become a regular here," she persisted. "There was an accident and she lost her parents. Nearly her sister too, the poor girl, but she pulled through. Elsa's a tough one. I knew it from the moment she came in that she'd make it. They're both strong. Their parents must've raised them right, God bless 'em."

"Wait,' Kristoff jolted. "Her parents both died. And her sister..."

"I know. It's so sad." She patted his hand again. "I've been trying to look out for Anna as much as I can. She has no-one. It's just awful." 

"What happened to being professional and impartial?" He nudged her gently and smiled, momentarily forgetting Anna's story as he marvelled at the depth of his mothers compassion. Bulda just couldn't help but care. She had taken him in and kept him when he was only supposed to be there for a few months. She had such a big heart. She really _knew_ people. She could read anyone like a book, especially Kristoff, who was the first of her brood of lost children she'd adopted, who she knew inside out and back to front.

"You know me," she grinned. "And those poor girls need all the help they can get."

His mind jumped back to what his mother had just said about Anna. 

"Have you listened to my show lately?" Bulda shook her head so Kristoff told her the story about the girl who had started calling in. The one whose parents had died and whose sister was in hospital. The one whose story sounded exactly like this girl Anna's. 

"It could be. She plays the radio a lot while she sits with Elsa and it's always your station. She started reading to her not too long ago too and she never did that before." Bulda thought for a moment. "I'm almost positive it could be."

Kristoff thought for a moment. He could go and say hi. See if she needed anything. He wondered if it was against some sort of DJ code of ethics but guessed probably not. There was no reason why he couldn't introduce himself. Then again it would be quite weird for her and probably quite embarrassing. Also if it wasn't her then it would just be weird for both of them.  
What was he even thinking. All of this was a terrible idea. He thought she was attractive and that was it. There would be absolutely no reason to strike up a conversation with a stranger in the trauma unit of a hospital because he thought she was cute. Talk about innapropriate. He needed to get a grip.

"I'm going to head home." He stood abruptly and collected his bag. "Sven needs a walk."

"Okay, baby," Bulda said, kissing his cheek as he leaned down. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye Ma."

He rushed towards the exit and wondered what he was running away from.


End file.
